Patricia Heaton, the star of Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle, released a book about self-reinvention in 2020. After doing this, she made the media rounds. Patricia is feeling better than ever about her life, and she's been really upfront about sharing that. In fact, Patricia has opened up about her decision to quit drinking.
Patricia was interviewed by Parade magazine, and she dropped a new bit of information at the time of that interview: She's been sober for two years. She says she misses drinking but that being sober is definitely worth it:
“I quit drinking two years ago in July. I miss it terribly, but at the end of the day, I feel better. I noticed that I was looking forward every night to cocktails. And if I happened to go to lunch, I might have a glass of wine or Prosecco. There’s an actual statistic that women who were moderate drinkers in their 30s and 40s often become alcoholics in their 50s and 60s.”
Patricia also shared that for her, she feels that her children growing up and leaving her home made it easier to give in to her impulse to drink.
"I think it's something about your children leaving the house and the things that used to anchor you are no longer there. You're a little bit at sea, and so you reach for the bottle to dull the uncertainty. I sensed that a bit with myself."
Patricia is mom to four sons: Joseph, Daniel, Samuel, and John.
She also shared that right now, her sons are all in their mid-20s, and she hopes that they'll have kids sometime in the next decade or so.
"And as your hormones change, you can't really process alcohol the same way you did when you were younger. I've stopped, and my life has improved significantly. My kids are in their mid-20s and I'll probably be in my 70s by the time I have grandchildren. I want to be healthy for them."
Patricia has also been using her 60s as a time to focus on her physical health.
"Lately, I've been on a mostly Keto diet. I'm also trying to swim 50 laps at least four or five times a week. I fall off the wagon occasionally, but overall, I've been trying to not let myself go too much. At my age, it's hard to get back into shape. It's much easier to stay in shape."
Patricia admits to battling aging demons and says that she's vigilant against the critic inside her. "We all have those voices that tell us, 'You're getting so old. Your skin is sagging.' But we can't let that be the running narrative in our heads. Try to appreciate the fact that you can get up and have another day, with many opportunities ahead of you. You don't have to berate yourself if you have those thoughts."
Patricia's new book, Your Second Act: Inspiring Stories of Reinvention, was released on July 21, 2020. The book is a collection of profiles of different women who have reinvented themselves (Patricia included). She explains, "Your life is your own, and you don't have to be on some kind of treadmill just because that's where you started, or because someone else expects that of you."
She also says that she hopes others can relate to the women in the book: "I hope this book helps people reflect on their lives. I hope they see something of themselves in the stories."
Patricia has been welcoming the changes that come with aging: "As you get older, you can start to focus on making choices based on what you're feeling inside, what you want to do with the time you have left, as opposed to what people expect of you or the false expectations you put on yourself."
"I've also learned to be selective. I want to focus on the things that matter to me, that I know I can make a commitment to. Sometimes you have to try a few things just to figure out what you really want, and you won't know until you try it. I want to spend more time with family and working on artistic projects that are meaningful to me, that I believe will contribute something positive to the world."
In addition to putting together her own inspirational book, Patricia is a big fan of the genre in general. "I've always been a big believer in therapy, and I like to read inspirational books, particularly when they have personal stories attached — you can imagine it more. You see the little bumps in the road and the minutia. What I relate to a lot is people who just have to change their circumstances, or they won't be able to go on. That's a great motivator."
Fans of the actress might be surprised to learn that Everybody Loves Raymond wasn't her first television show. She shared that she actually had three failed sitcoms before landing the role.
"I can say, 'This is Hollywood.' We [gave it] 150 percent to make this show work, and there were things that were out of our control. You have to move forward from that."
Patricia has spent the last years working side by side with her husband. The pair have been developing films for 10 years and are currently filming their first film together. She says it's fun, but working with her husband definitely has its challenging moments:
"He's directing; I'm producing. I'm very excited about that aspect of my life. I love being behind the camera. But when working with your spouse, you learn the importance of laying out the ground rules. We make an effort not to argue in front of the crew. We will take our argument outside, discuss what we need to discuss, then come back."
